“Dinosaurs Unearthed” opened Oct. 12 at the academy and runs through March 30, 2014. The exhibit is home to 13 life-sized dinosaurs of different sizes and traits. These dinosaurs not only roar loudly, but are controlled with animatronics, showing some of the motions the prehistoric creatures made.

Visitors experience what it's like to dig for fossils in "Dinosaurs Unearthed." ("Dinosaurs Unearthed" )

“Release your inner 8-year-old,” said Jason Poole, manager of the Fossil Lab and Dinosaur Hall at the academy, noting many children's love of dinosaurs, and encouraging visitors to ask any questions that come to mind. “Questions are the basis of science,” he said.

In 1868, the Haddonfield dinosaur was the first dinosaur skeleton to be displayed at a museum. From then to now, there have been many exhibits and research dedicated to them — but the new exhibit highlights the modern discoveries.

Yes, dinosaurs are known as gigantic, larger-than-life creatures — the parts to the exhibit arrived in five shipping containers, 20,000 pounds each — but “Dinosaurs Unearthed” goes a long way in showing that there was a lot more to them than just their large stature.

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“Dinosaurs aren't just scary beasts; these are animals that lived in a habitat,” said Jennifer Sontchi, director of exhibits.

Sontchi explained that new discoveries combined with advances in technology help bring realism to “Dinosaurs Unearthed.”

“The technology has come a long way and is very intricate,” she said.

In one section of the exhibit, “Make Me Move,” visitors can control the movements of a dinosaur, by the simple press of a button, replicating movements consistent with their actual range of motion based on studies of their bones and vertebrae.

Paleontologists learn more about dinosaurs as they continue to study fossils — there is something new discovered each year, decade and generation.

Along with learning more on their motions, some of the more recent characteristics that have been given attention are the color of their skin, their behavior, and the fact that some had feathers.

In the last 20 years, there's been a “major advance in what we know about dinosaurs. They went from being lumbering reptiles to being agile and smart,” said Ted Daeschler, the academy's vice president for collections. “The science of dinosaurs is stronger and more diverse than ever.”

Some dinosaurs had feathers on their bodies, as can be seen in the exhibit on the juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex. This is something that wasn't depicted much in older dinosaur-themed displays, but is now evident, as it's recognized that dinosaurs were closely related to birds.

There are several fossils in the exhibit, including a skull, sharp teeth, claws and coprolite — better known as dino-poop, which is sure to make the kids laugh. Some dino-poop, such as one from a maiasaura, is said to have been as big as a basketball!

The exhibit is full of facts and insight on different dinosaur species — it's speculated that some developed sinus colds, which sure would have produced a ton of mucus!

In the exhibit is a preview of the famous fossils that were discovered in the Gobi desert in 1971 — a velociraptor in combat against a protoceratops. The velociraptor had its claws buried in the throat of the protoceratops, while the protoceratops had its jaws clamped into the velociraptor's right arm. It's been speculated that a sandstorm killed them both instantly, which kept the remains well-preserved.

So much has been discovered about dinosaurs, and so much more will be in the future. As the end of the exhibit explains, dinosaurs will “continue to catch our imagination across the generations.”

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